Garment with improved sleeve movement

ABSTRACT

A garment for covering the upper portion of a body has sleeves connected to the trunk portion with gussets provided across at least the armpit areas to provide extraordinary expansion and collapse of the armpit areas of the sleeve and thus provide the capability of extraordinary rotation of the sleeves to a position higher than the shoulder portion of the garment. A method for connecting the sleeves to the trunk portion of the garment to allow for such sleeve rotation is also shown

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to the art of garment construction and more particularly to the art of connecting sleeves to garments increasing relative sleeve movement for covering upper portions of the body.

2. Description of the Prior Art

In the past, it has long been known to have garments covering at least the torso of the body of a wearer, where the garment also has sleeves extending from the main portion of the garment in order to cover the arms of the wearer. Such sleeves have been movable relative to the main portion of the garment covering the torso. Herein in this description, the term garment is used and should be understood to include both flexible and rigid, and all degrees of rigidity in between, unless specifically described herein otherwise. Further, the term “garment” should be understood to include all forms of garments that cover the torso of the body, including shirts, coats, jackets, tee-shirts, jump-suits, wet suits, body armor and the like.

In most instances, the sleeves are connected to the main portion of the garment by a seam but, when the wearer raises his arm or rotates it above the horizontal level of his shoulder, the seam connecting the sleeve to the main portion of the garment tends to move the side of the garment below the seam in an outward direction. Often, this outward direction takes a path generally rotating about the upper end of the seam, or generally about the upper part of the wearer's shoulder. In the case of a coat, for example, to raise one's arm above the shoulder level, the coat's side underneath the sleeve seam will generally flare outward from the body. In the case of a shirt normally tucked within trousers, for example, to raise one's arm above the shoulder level, the shirt beneath the sleeve's connecting seam will lift the shirt out from its tuck. In some cases, such a shirt lifting movement will result in unsightly bagginess of the shirt beneath the arm. In other cases, such a shirt lifting will result in a complete blousing of the shirt.

In the past, such problems have been addressed by increasing the amount of cloth or other material of which the garment in make. Such increased material is often formed or positioned underneath the armpit of the wearer. This solution solves much of the problem, but requires often too much material beneath the armpit, thus resulting in the “bagginess” problem sought to be solved. In the case of more rigid material, such as, for example, in body armor or armored garments, such an upward movement may result in lifting the body or torso portion of the garment, thus dangerously exposing the wearer's midrift to the hostile assault of projectiles sought to be repulsed by the garment.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improvement for a sleeved garment, which improvement allows the sleeve of the garment to be rotated about and above the shoulder of the wearer without resulting in unwanted movement of the main or trunk portion of the garment. It is a further object of the present invention to provide such stability of the main portion of the garment by means of simplified manufacture. It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and method of manufacturing sleeved garments covering the upper or trunk portion of the wearer's body which has a reduced amount of material in the sleeve while allowing or providing for increased movement the sleeve and of a wearer's arm. It is still further an object of the present invention to provide a sleeve connection or seam structure between the sleeve and the main or trunk portion of the garment, that has a closer fit between the wearer's arm and the sleeve.

SUMMARY

In brief, in accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a garment for covering the upper part of a wearer has sleeves that are connected to the main or trunk portion of the garment by a set of gussets about the armpit of the wearer which expand and contract when the sleeve is rotated about or relative to the shoulder of the garment. In one aspect of the invention, the seam fastening the sleeve to the trunk portion of the garment is shortened where gussets are incorporated in the sleeve portion beneath the armpit to present a closer fit between the arm and the sleeve.

These and other novel aspects of the present invention, together with other aspects thereof, can be better understood by the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments, which are designed to be read in conjunction and together with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front elevation view of a shirt in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a detail expansion or blow-up of a portion of the front elevation view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a pattern of one aspect of the preferred embodiment of the present invention shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 showing three parts of the pattern for the sleeve portion of the preferred embodiment; and,

FIG. 4 is a front elevation view of prior art showing a shirt with sleeves.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A shirt 10 is shown, reference being had initially to FIG. 1 of the accompanying drawings wherein reference numerals refer to like numerals used in herein. The shirt 10 comprises a short-sleeved tee-shirt having a neck 12 connected by seam 14 to the main or trunk portion 16 by seam 14. The main or trunk portion 16 of the shirt 10 is characterized by a right shoulder portion 20 and a left shoulder portion 18 formed symmetrically on opposing sides of the neck 12. The trunk portion 16 of the shirt 10 is formed to cover generally the torso or, at least, the upper torso of a wearer (not shown). The trunk portion 16 has a trunk or bottom hem 24 around the lower edge of the shirt 10.

The shirt 10 has a right sleeve 26 connected generally to the trunk portion 16 by seam 28, and has an hem 30 defining the outer extremity of the right sleeve 26. A right sleeve gusset 34 is connected to the right sleeve 26 by seam 36, the detail of which may be more clearly seen in FIG. 2, reference now being had to both FIGS. 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings. A second right sleeve gusset 38 also forms part of right sleeve 26. The second right sleeve gusset 38 is connected to the first right sleeve gusset by seam 40, and to the trunk portion 16 by seam 42. The gussets 34, 38 are positioned to cover generally the right armpit from the chest side to the backside of a wearer, not shown. The first right sleeve gusset 34 is connected to the shirt trunk portion 16 by seam 44. The seams 28, 42 and 44 comprise the connection of the right sleeve 26 to the trunk or main portion 16 of the shirt 10.

The shirt 10 also has a left sleeve 46 fastened generally to the trunk portion 16 by seam 48, and also has an hem 50 defining the outer extremity of the left sleeve 46. A left sleeve gusset 56 is connected to the left sleeve 46 by seam 58. A second left sleeve gusset 60 also forms part of left sleeve 26. The second left sleeve gusset 60 is connected to the first left sleeve gusset by seam 62, and to the trunk portion 16 by seam 64. The gussets 56, 60 are positioned to cover generally the left armpit from the chest side to the backside of a wearer, not shown. The first left sleeve gusset 56 is connected to the shirt trunk portion 16 by a seam 66. The seams 48, 64 and 66 comprise the connection of the left sleeve 46 to the trunk or main portion 16 of the shirt 10.

The left sleeve 46, and its connections with the trunk portion 16 of the shirt 10, are, and form, a sleeve 46 in all respects symmetrical to the right sleeve 26 and its connections with the trunk or main portion 16, but on the opposite side of the shirt 10. The details of the right sleeve 26 and its connections to the trunk portion 16 will be described in greater detail, reference now being to FIG. 2 of the drawing, but it should be understood that the same specifications apply complementally to the left sleeve 46 and its connections to the trunk portion 16.

In particular, when the shirt 10 is laid on a generally flat surface in the position as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the right sleeve 26 will have a substantial portion lying above a horizontal line 68 which is substantially parallel to the bottom hem 24. The connection of the right sleeve 26 to the trunk portion 16 can be seen, reference being had to FIG. 2, as having a distance 74 from the lower point 72 of the connection to the upper point defined by the horizontal line 68. The point halfway between the upper point 68 and the lower point 72 is point 70. This result is accomplished substantially by the positioning of the first and second right sleeve gussets 34, 38. More specifically, the first right sleeve gusset 34 is fastened to the trunk portion 16 by the seam 44 which has its upper point 76 above the halfway point 70 of the combined connections 28, 42, 44. The seam 42 has an upper point 78 in its connection with the trunk portion. The upper point 78 of the second right sleeve gusset 38, is lower than the halfway point 70 of the distance 74.

FIG. 3 shows the three part pattern of the right sleeve 26. The first right sleeve gusset 34 has edge 36′. The right sleeve 26 similarly has an edge 36″. When the first right sleeve gusset 34 is fastened along its edge 36′ to the right sleeve 34 along its edge 36″, the seam 36 is formed.

The first right sleeve gusset 34 also has an edge 40′. The second right sleeve gusset 38 has an edge 4″ which is designed to fit complementally with edge 40′. When the edges 40′ and 40″ are fastened together, they form seam 40 of the right sleeve 26.

In operation, the sleeves 26, 46 are connected to the trunk portion 16 of the shirt 10 having seam means extending generally across the armpit of a body of a wearer. The seam means comprises a first sleeve gusset 34, 56 and a second sleeve gusset 38, 60 which extend generally across the armpit of the wearer. The gussets 34, 38, 56, 60 are fabricated of flexible material, such as cloth, and can be expanded or stretched to full spread condition. Similarly, the flexible material of the gussets 34, 38, 56, 60 can be collapsed or contracted into a bunched condition, under the armpit of the wearer, as when the arm of the wearer is hanging downwardly close to the wearer's body or torso or trunk. When the gussets 34, 38, 56, 60 are spread out, that is when the arm of the wearer is raised upwardly, as shown in FIG. 1 for example, the gussets 34, 38, 56, 60 allow the upper portion of the sleeves 26, 46 to extend or rotate to a position above a horizontal line 68 extending across the front of the shirt 10 and generally parallel to the bottom hem 24.

The operation of the sleeves 26, 46 is to be contrasted to a shirt construction not having such an expansible seam means as shown in FIGS. 1-3. For example, reference being had to FIG. 4 of the drawings, shirt 100, having a neck 102 connected by seam 104 to main or trunk portion 106, has a left shoulder 108 and a right shoulder 110 and a bottom hem 114. The shirt 100 also has a right sleeve 116 with a right sleeve hem 118, connected to the trunk portion 106 by seam 120. Similarly, the shirt 100 also has a complemental left sleeve 124 with a hem 126, connected to the trunk portion 106 by seam 128. However, the seam means along or part of the seams 120, 128 limits or in other ways restricts upward movement of the sleeve, and often the arm within.

When the shirt 100 is laid on a flat surface and flattened as shown in FIG. 4, it can be seen that a horizontal line 132 generally parallel to the hem 114 can be defined by the two upper most points of the seams 120 and 128, namely right sleeve seam upper point 136 and left sleeve seam upper point 138. Each of the sleeves 116, 124 can be rotated about its corresponding seam's upper point 136, 138. However, two unintended results occur in each instance. For example, if an arm in the right sleeve 116 is lifted or rotated laterally upward about the shoulder or, as seen in the resulting movement of the shirt 100, if the right sleeve is rotated about the upper point 136 of the right sleeve seam 120 in the direction of arrow 140 of FIG. 4, the lower most point 142 of the seam 120 will be forced to travel in the direction of arrow 144, which is generally upward. This movement 144 has the often undesirable effect of lifting the whole right side 148 of the trunk portion 106 upward in the direction of arrow 150, resulting in the blousing of at least the right side 148 of the shirt 100. At the very least, such a movement 140, 144, 150 results in blousing enough of the right side 148 of the shirt 100 to create a “baggy” overlap of the shirt about the waist to create what, in the view of many, an unsightly scene.

While in this description of a preferred embodiment, a shirt has been described, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that any sleeved garment covering the upper portion of the torso of a wearer's body can be formed using the present invention to achieve the benefits hereof. Thus, any sleeved garment covering the torso or, at least, the upper portion of a torso, such as, for examples, jackets, coats, dress shirts, sweatshirts, sweaters and the like and the use of the term “shirt” herein should be understood to encompass such garments. Further, there is no restriction in using the present invention to garments that are flexible. Although the preferred embodiment described herein is a shirt having a flexible fabric, the term “shirt” should also be understood to include sleeved garments that are not flexible, such as garments incorporating modern armor, such as, for example, bullet-proof material like Kelvar and the like. Any such garment having an expansible and collapsible seam means extending generally over the armpit of the wearer should be included within the scope of the present invention.

The foregoing detailed description of my invention and of a preferred embodiments to products, compositions and processes, is illustrative of specific embodiments only. It is to be understood, however, that additional embodiments may be perceived by those skilled in the art. The embodiments described herein, together with those additional embodiments, are considered to be within the scope of the present invention. 

1. A garment covering the upper portion of a body, comprising: a. a trunk portion for covering at least an upper torso of said body; b. a sleeve extending from said trunk portion for covering at least a portion of an arm of said body, said sleeve having at least one seam connecting said sleeve to said trunk portion, said seam extending generally across at least an armpit of said body; and, c. gusset means within said at least one seam for extendably connecting at least an underside of said sleeve to said trunk portion.
 2. The garment of claim 1 wherein said trunk portion includes a shoulder portion, and wherein further said at least one seam connecting said sleeve to said trunk portion extends to said shoulder portion.
 3. The garment of claim 2 wherein said sleeve further comprises an outer extremity, and wherein said trunk portion comprises an hem parallel to the bottom of said trunk portion, and wherein when said garment is laid flat, said outer extremity of said sleeve is above a line parallel to said trunk portion hem and running through said seam connecting said sleeve to said trunk portion at the shoulder portion of said seam.
 4. The garment of claim 1 wherein said gusset means comprises a first gusset seamed to said sleeve by a first gusset sleeve seam and further seamed to said trunk portion by a first gusset trunk seam, and wherein said first gusset is expandable and collapsible.
 5. The garment of claim 4 wherein said gusset means further comprises a second gusset seamed to said first gusset by a second gusset sleeve seam, and further seamed to said trunk portion by a second gusset trunk seam, and wherein said second gusset is expandable and collapsible.
 6. A garment for covering the upper portion of a body having an arm and an armpit, said garment having a trunk portion including a shoulder portion for covering the upper portion of a torso of said body and a sleeve portion covering at least a portion of said arm, the improvement comprising: expandable and collapsible garment means extending generally across the armpit and connected to said sleeve and to said trunk portion for allowing said sleeve to rotate above said shoulder portion of said trunk when said garment means is expanded.
 7. A garment for covering the upper portion of a body having an arm and an armpit, said garment having a trunk portion for covering the upper portion of a torso of said body and a sleeve portion covering at least a portion of said arm, said trunk portion having at least one trunk seam connecting said sleeve to said trunk portion, the improvement comprising: at least a first gusset positioned between said trunk seam extending at least across said armpit and extendably, and at least a portion of said sleeve whereby connecting at least a portion of said sleeve to said trunk portion of said garment.
 8. The garment of claim 7, wherein said improvement further comprising a second gusset positioned between said first gusset and said trunk portion.
 9. The garment of claim 7 wherein said garment comprises a shirt.
 10. The garment of claim 7 wherein said at least first gusset fits substantially close to said armpit.
 11. The garment of claim 7 wherein said trunk portion further comprises a bottom hem, wherein said sleeve further comprises an outer extremity, and wherein when said garment is laid flat, at least a portion of the outer extremity of said sleeve lies above a line passing through said trunk seam and parallel to said bottom hem.
 12. A method for connecting a sleeve to a trunk portion of a garment for covering the upper portion of a body, comprising the step of: connecting said sleeve to said trunk portion by at least a lower seam means comprising flexible material, for expanding and collapsing said flexible material, said lower seam means extending generally across the armpit of said body. 